Prep2012-Pack1-CR-014 VCR007679 Easy
The Acme Corporation has found that improvements in its information technology infrastructure allow its employees to make more decisions that are both sound and well-informed than was previously feasible. Consequently, the corporation plans to improve employee productivity by introducing new managerial techniques that delegate much of the decision-making to lower levels of the organizational hierarchy. Managers will simply set clear standards and guidelines and then allow employee teams to undertake tasks without centralized control.
Which of the following, if true, would most strongly support a prediction that the Acme Corporation's plan will achieve its goal?
A. The corporation will be able to cut its managerial staff only if the managers’ sole function is to set clear standards and guidelines for employees.
B. After Acme’s information technology infrastructure was improved, very few of Acme’s managers continued to believe that only managers should make most decisions.
C. Most of the tasks currently performed by the corporation's employees require few if any significant decisions to be made.
D. When employees can make decisions themselves, rather than submitting the same matters for decision to managers, there is more time available for directly productive activities.
E. Some other companies that have better employee productivity than does the Acme Corporation also plan to use the new managerial techniques.
Prep2012-Pack1-CR-015 VCR007798 Easy
The recent rise of low-cost airlines in Country Y has led to great increases in the number of air travelers and flights.
However, a “hidden cost” of flying and certain other forms of travel is the significant amount of air pollution, which contributes to global warming. To make people pay these hidden costs—and in the process discourage the explosive growth in flying—the government of Country Y plans to impose fees on all air travel. There is a problem, however, in that many residents of Country Y would then use automobile transportation instead, without paying the hidden costs of the resulting air pollution.
Which of the following additions to the government's plan would be likely to help most in overcoming the problem referred to in the final sentence above?
A. Restricting the number of daily flights permitted in Country Y
B. Using the fees imposed on air travel to educate the public about the effects of air pollution on global warming
C. Setting clear, specific recommendations for the long-term reduction in exhaust emissions by automobile transportation in the country
D. Asking airplane manufacturers to study the possibility of creating airplanes that produce less air pollution
E. Imposing substantial fees on all forms of motorized transportation, in proportion to the amount of pollution caused by each form
